Pipe rack



PIPE RACK Filed Sept. l9, 1935 Patented Feb. 23, 1937 UNITED STATESPATENT OFFICE- 2 Claims.

This invention relates to a pipe rack.

An object of the invention is to provide a novel type of rack in whichthe broken up sections of the drill pipe may be stacked and secured, incarrying on well drilling operations.

With the above and other objects in View the invention has particularrelation to certain novel features of construction, operation, andarrangement of parts, an example of which is given in this specificationand illustrated in the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Fig. 1 shows a fragmentary, horizontal sectional view of a derrickshowing the apparatus in plan view mounted therein.

Fig. 2 shows a sectional view taken on the line 2--2 of Fig. 1.

Referring now more particularly to the drawing wherein like numerals ofreference designate similar parts in each of the figures, the numeral ldesignates a derrick of conventional construction and mounted therein atthe required elevation and at one side of the derrick there is theplatform 2 for the workman who handles the pipe as the string is made upor broken up.

Extending across the derrick at right angles to the platform 2 andsupported on the crossbraces of the derrick, there is an I-beam 3arranged adjacent the legs of the derrick. The outside of this I-beam 3has the bearings 4, 4, through which the ends of the rod 5 are fitted,and said ends are clamped in place by the clamp nut 6, 6. There is aseries of fingers 1 whose outer ends have the bearings 8 which areslidably mounted on the rod 5. These fingers may be adjusted toward andfrom each other or may be swung upwardly and outwardly when not in use,or they may be secured in any adjusted position, on the rod 5, by meansof the set screws 9 which are threaded through said bearings 8. Thefingers, when in active position, extend horizontally into the derrickand rest on the I- beam 3.

As the drill stem, or other pipe, is withdrawn from the bore and brokenupinto sections, the lower ends of the sections rest on the derrickfloor and their upper ends are located by the derrickman on the platform2 between the fingers I, as shown in Fig. 1, until the rack is filledwith pipe, or until the string is broken up. The fingers have alignedbearings, as H), and when a tier of sections of pipe is located betweenthe fingers, a rod ll may be inserted through the series of bearings H1in front of the tier so that when the stack is completed, each tier willbe separated by a rod l I, as shown in Fig. 1, and the upper ends of thestacked sections will thus be secured in place. The rods II are notnecessarily used except in cases where the pipe is to remain stacked fora considerable length of time.

When the pipe sections are to be removed from the rack in the process ofmaking up the pipe, the rod H in front of any particular tier may beremoved and the upper ends of the pipe sections are then swung outwardlyand moved, one at a time, toward the center of the derrick to carry theupper end of the pipe into position to be engaged by the elevators whichare carried by the derrick traveling block and when the elevator islatched around the section of pipe, said section is connected into thestring of pipe extending through the rotary drilling machine 28.

The drawing and description discloses what is now considered to be apreferred form of the invention by Way of illustration only while thebroad principle of the invention will be defined by the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. In pipe handling apparatus, a transverse derrick beam, a rod fixed inspaced relation to the beam, a series of fingers having bearings on therod, said fingers being mounted for adjustment relative to each otherand being rotatably mounted on the rod, means for securing the fingersagainst movement relative to the rod, said beam forming a support forsupporting the fingers in horizontal position, said fingers havingseries of aligned bearings, and retaining rods fitted through saidbearings.

2. A pipe holding apparatus comprising a transverse beam, a rodmantained in spaced relation to the beam, a series of fingers on therod, said fingers being mounted for adjustment relative to each otherand being swingable in vertical planes, means for securing the fingersagainst movement relative to the rod, said beam forming a support forsupporting the fingers in horizontal position, retaining rods supportedby and extending transversely of the fingers and means for retainingsaid retaining rods against movement longitudinally of the fingers.

WILLIAM C. HOLLIS.

